Dauntless Crosses the North Atlantic - The Post Mortem

Finally Done

https://dauntlessatsea.wordpress.co...s-crosses-the-north-atlantic-the-post-mortem/

Sorry for not re-posting directly here, but my internet connection is really slow in the afternoon.

If anyone has any specific questions, it's best to email me directly.

Thanks for sharing. Interesting reading and viewing.

Richard,

Nice write up.

What stands out to me is how much did work well.

Thanks,
Dan

Great read Richard. Thank you for taking the time to put it together.

Richard,
Thanks for taking the time to put this together, great reading for those thinking about a blue water trawler trip.

HOLLYWOOD

Fascinating write-up Richard.

The water in the fuel tanks saga was very enlightening. I am concerned about the fact that my vents are on the outside of the hull on the starboard side. Fortunately we took all the nasty stuff on the port side during the voyage. I am concerned about how it will handle lots of water on the starboard side. Can you post a picture of your current vent locations?

I have Wesmar fin stabilizers which performed flawlessly. However, I am well aware that they are more prone to failure than paravanes. We definitely pitched way more than we rolled, though I don't have the graphics to prove it.

I know what you mean about following seas. We had none to speak of until we were within a few hours of Point Reyes, CA. We had mixed NW swell and N waves. Occasionally they would combine for some excitement. At one point I looked back from the pilot house and realized I was looking up at the combined wave about to hit us on the port quarter. On my boat, eye level in the pilot house is about 15' off the waterline. Yikes! We steered down the wave and she didn't broach. Thanks goodness for a canoe stern!

Would love to chat one day in more detail about your experience - especially the single handed passage making.

You've inspired me to write up my trip - only 1300 nm and not an ocean crossing of course.

I found myself saying "I love my boat" a number of times too - especially the bow. Most of our action was with head seas.

Congratulations on an epic crossing.

Richard

enjoyed the write up, photos & videos, thanks!
sounds like a great trip, one I'd like to make some day.

Ken

The Com Nav Autopilot did ALL the steering. I'd figured out last year that as long as I had it adjusted well, or did a better job than hand steering.
All those videos taken from the stern reflect that.

The KK had never broached on its own.

The west coast is very challenging in and of itself. In fact, probably more so than the Atlantic.

Even writing that makes me realize how much I miss the ocean.

Starting next spring, I'll get my fill of it again.

What a great trip and story well told, big slap on the back

You are only a 100kn or so away from me across the Irish sea in the Menai Straits between Anglesea and the UK mainland, if you do manage to work your way further west, let me know

All The best
Roy

Britannia said:

Fascinating write-up Richard.

The water in the fuel tanks saga was very enlightening. I am concerned about the fact that my vents are on the outside of the hull on the starboard side. Fortunately we took all the nasty stuff on the port side during the voyage. I am concerned about how it will handle lots of water on the starboard side. Can you post a picture of your current vent locations?
...

Richard

Click to expand...

Yes it was enlightening.

The fuel tank access on the boat we want is pretty danged secure but the water fills are in the deck similar to the KK fuel fills. I was on a couple of the boats we want last year and inspected the water fills pretty closely. It would be very easy to miss a nick in the O rings... Who would have thunk it...

Later,
Dan

Great post Richard!
Thanks for taking the time to compose it all into a such a valuable passage-making summary. I learn something everytime I read your posts. (Btw, It seems we share something in common,,, our Admiral is "Julie" too!)
Cheers Dude.

dannc said:

Yes it was enlightening.

The fuel tank access on the boat we want is pretty danged secure but the water fills are in the deck similar to the KK fuel fills. I was on a couple of the boats we want last year and inspected the water fills pretty closely. It would be very easy to miss a nick in the O rings... Who would have thunk it...

Later,
Dan

Click to expand...

Yes. The fills ended up not being the issue. Not when you have an engine sucking air thru that vent that is underwater maybe 10 - 20% of the time

I'm going to move the vent to inside the boat. That will also solve the issue of overfilling the tank and creating an embarrassing and expensive oil slick.

I set up my tanks with fill caps right on the tank top, and vents into a catch pot in engine room. No way to get water in from fills or vents, easy to dip for level. Probably violates all sorts of rules, but some rules of my own have precedence: NO water in fuel and KNOW tank content.